FWS.Gov Redesign: Discovery & Requirements Gathering

Client: Interviewee: Moderator:

Project: Role: Notetaker:

Client: FWS Interviewee: [Interviewee] Moderator: [Moderator]

Project: Public Website Redesign Role: Notetaker: [Notetaker]

Introduction

Hello [Interviewee],

Thank you for participating in this discussion today.

My name is [Moderator], and my colleague, [Notetaker], is also on the line. We are in the process of working with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to redesign their public facing websites.

As part of that process we are interviewing people who use FWS services, resources, or content to better understand your habits and needs. With this information we will provide more accurate and appropriate recommendations on how to create an intuitive and user-friendly site.

Today, I have prepared a series of questions I would like to go through with you to gather some information your needs and how you do or might interact with the Service.

Some key things to remember as we go along today:

• Read PRA Statement: Paperwork Reduction Act Statement: A Federal agency may not conduct or sponsor and a person is not required to respond to a collection of information unless it is associated with a currently valid OMB control number. OMB has approved this information collection and assigned OMB control number 1090-0011, which expires August 31, 2018. Your participation is voluntary. We estimate that it will take you 1 hour to respond to these questions, including time to collect and maintain information and complete the survey. You may send comments on any aspect of this information collection to: Information Collection Clearance Officer, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Mail Stop BPHC, 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041-3803.

• There are no right or wrong answers. I am not evaluating you or your knowledge; rather you are helping us to understand how things are now and how they can be improved going forward.

• Many of the questions are intentionally broad in order to give maximum flexibility in answering, but if at any point you’re unsure how to answer feel free to ask for clarification.

• Your comments and opinions will only be used in combination with the feedback that we get from other people, so nothing you say will be attributed to you.

• We would like to record this session so that we can help insure accuracy in our data. Is that OK with you?

  • [ONCE THEY CONFIRM, START RECORDING, AND THEN TELL THEM RECORDING HAS STARTED]

Do you have any questions?

Moderator’s Guide Notes

• The moderator will guide the user only to begin the relevant task. Clarifying questions will be asked to identify intent and expectations, but the user will be leading the discussion - using “think-aloud” protocol.

• During the interview all environmental activities will be noted (artifacts, hardware, physical environment, etc.).

Introductory Questions

Language

What is your primary language?

• _________

Device/Hardware

What device do you used to browse the web most frequently?

• Desktop

• Laptop

• Tablet

• Phone

• Other _________

Online Habits/Proficiency/Comfort

Are there standard activities that you complete online...such as:

• Performing research

• Shopping

• Filling out forms

• Paying a bill or ticket

• Other major activities done online?___________________

Social Media Usage

What social media channels or sites do you use?

Do you have connections with entities other that people?

• Blogs

• Facebook

• Twitter

• Instagram

• YouTube

• LinkedIn

• Pinterest

• Tumblr

• Other _______

What are some of the major reasons that you chose to use social media vs the web?

When looking for information about wildlife and/or conservation, are you typically interested in local or regional information or are you looking for information that is more broadly focused across the US or international?

• Local

• Regional

• US - Nationwide

• International

• All of the above

• Other _______________________

FWS Brand Recognition & Mission Clarity

• Note: Relevant for all except Latino Urban Youth Program Coordinators

• When did you first learn about the Fish & Wildlife Service?

• Can you describe what you know about the Service?

  • Ex: what the Service does, what programs and activities it offers to the public

Professional - General Questions

Please briefly describe the work you do and how any of the FWS services, activities, or content fits into that picture

• Note: Weave the answer to this question into how you pose the following questions

What is the typical mode for interacting with the Service?

• eX: On the phone, via the web, in person, other?

Who do you interact with at the Service? (If relevant)

• In what capacity?

  • Ex: collaborating on documents, collaborating on strategy, asking for information, delivering information, etc.

Is your interaction with the service rare or frequent? Regular (scheduled/seasonal?) or irregular?

What FWS Services or types of information are you most familiar with?

• What type of information do you need?

  • Is any of that information internal, or not available on the public FWS sites?

What are the top 3 activities you do that involve FWS websites, people, services, or content?

• Note: Capture which activities are done via web/social media

Have you completed an application or filled out a form with FWS?

• Ex: permit or grant application

Are you (typically) looking for information for yourself or someone else?

NOTE: Depending on responses jump to Web Specific - Walkthrough, Verbal Recall or Forms

Option A: Walkthrough (Web/Social Media Specific)

Recency

When was your last visit to an FWS website or social media channel?

What were you trying to accomplish?

Activity - Walkthrough

Instructions:

• Remind user of top activities/tasks they mentioned above and their most recent interaction. Ask user to walk us through one of these interactions/activities and show us how they typically go about that activity online

• Note: Walk through additional 1-2 other activities mentioned above (as time permits).

• Guide user to start showing their screen via GoToMeeting.

• Remind user of “think aloud protocol.” “Please describe what you are thinking as you show us how you find this/complete this task.”

• Note how users access FWS site (bookmarks, google, type in URL - searching vs. browsing).

• Prompt for details on what information they are looking for or what task they are trying to accomplish?

• Have user describe the task(s) that they are trying to accomplish and ask follow-on questions to drill into any problem areas they have with the current process.

Walkthrough Questions

What were you trying to find?

What were you trying to do?

Did you find everything you needed/expected?

• If not, what did you want to see and how you expect to find it/have it organized?

What do you think of _____: (as appropriate)

• Content

• Level of writing – is it understandable?

• Is it the appropriate kind of information?

• Is any information missing?

• Is there information that is inappropriate?

Opportunity to Improve

How would you want information to be organized on this site. For example, would you like it organized by audience segment, by topic, by task, or by something else?

• Depending on how they answer the previous question, ask them how their interests would fit into this type of organization.

  • Ex: “So as a hunter, you would like to come to the FWS site and be easily able to locate the content you are looking for based on the task you are trying to complete...like fill out a permit application, or visit a refuge?”

Is there anything that you would suggest to improve the experience?

Other Resources / Examples

What are some other sites where you typically look for similar information that you enjoy using (e.g. sites that you like)?

Would you be interested in receiving content from FWS via any of the social media sites or channels you use?

Option B: Verbal/Recall - Web/Social Media/Other

Recency

When was your last interaction with FWS?

What were you trying to accomplish?

Activity

Instructions:

• Remind user of top activities/tasks they mentioned above and their most recent interactions.

• Note: Walk through additional 1-2 other activities mentioned above (as time permits)

Questions

How do you typically start looking for the information you just described?

• Ex: call someone, pull something from an internal drive/email, go to google and do a keyword search, go to the FWS website and browse/search, call someone, etc.

Describe how you typically find the information you’re looking for.

Have you ever experienced any difficulties finding information you were looking for?

• If yes, please describe the situation and how it was resolved (if it was)

Opportunity to Improve

Is there anything that you would suggest that would improve your experience?

Other Resources / Examples

What are some other sites/places where you typically look for similar information that you enjoy using (e.g. sites that you like)?

Wrap Up

ANCHORS - Describe the most difficult part of your interactions with FWS.

SAILS - Describe the most pleasant parts of your interaction with FWS.

KING - How would you change your interaction with FWS?

• Is there something you wish were available to you on the site that isn’t?

• Would you prefer more things to be available/achievable online (if they aren’t currently)?

• What are similar interactions you have with other entities that work better or worse?

Is there anything else you want to tell us?

In Closing

Thank you again. Your input is valuable in helping us take steps to improve the FWS websites and how they address the needs of the public. We appreciate you taking the time out of your schedule to meet with us.

KEY TAKEAWAYS